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3耶稣在伯大尼长大麻风的西门家里坐席的时候，有一个女人拿着一玉瓶至贵的真哪哒香膏来，打破玉瓶，把膏浇在耶稣的头上。4有几个人心中很不喜悦，说：“何用这样枉费香膏呢？5这香膏可以卖三十多两银子周济穷人。”他们就向那女人生气。6耶稣说：“由她吧！为什么难为她呢？她在我身上作的是一件美事。7因为常有穷人和你们同在，要向他们行善，随时都可以；只是你们不常有我。8她所作的，是尽她所能的，她是为我安葬的事，把香膏预先浇在我身上。9我实在告诉你们：普天之下，无论在什么地方传这福音，也要述说这女人所作的以为纪念。”
这是一个美丽的故事。我们知道那个女人的名字，她叫马利亚。在长大麻疯的西门家里办了一个宴席，或许西门的大麻风就是耶稣所治好的。马利亚的兄弟拉撒路也在宴席上。一个是大麻风被治好的，一个是死里复活的，他们参加宴席，归荣耀给耶稣!而马利亚出于最纯粹的动机，她想在耶稣死前为他做一些特别的事。似乎马利亚比门徒更先预感到了将要发生的事情。她就把一坛极贵的香膏倒在耶稣的头上，这香膏相当于一年的工资。想想你一年的工资有多少。
简直令人无法容忍!这就是门徒们的心声。真是太浪费钱了。他们严厉地责备马利亚浪费钱财。你能想象他们这样说话时马利亚的感受吗?有时候，我们也会如此迅速地论断，如此迅速地批评，如此迅速地深深伤害别人，甚至是那些亲密的朋友。
我不禁想到，路德在解释第八条诫命时，心里或许在想这个故事（我们应该敬畏、亲爱上帝，因此就不说谎污蔑他人、出卖他人、损坏他人名誉，而要维护、表扬他人，并以最善意的方式看待他人的言语和行为。），路德针对第八条诫命写道，“但要以最善意的方式看待别人的言行。”门徒们找到了批评马利亚的理由，他们的话伤害了她。耶稣看出马利亚心里的动机，就为她辩护，说她好话，以最善意的方式看待她的言行。
当你把这个故事应用到自己身上时，看看上帝律法的镜子，为你伤害你的朋友和邻舍的言行而悔改。然后看看耶稣，看看你完美的救主，他为你遵守了每一条诫命。当你要用你的生命和你的一切来荣耀耶稣的时候，不要害怕有任何的浪费!
祷告:主耶稣啊，感谢你在这个故事中教导我，总是为邻舍的行为寻找最善意的解释。更感谢你为不完美的我活出完美的生命，感谢你允许我把你的公义算为我自己的公义。阿们。
Mark 14:3-9: While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. 4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. 6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” (NIV)
This is a beautiful story that deserves more attention than these few words. We know the woman’s name. It was Mary. The dinner was at Simon the Leper’s house, whom Jesus had cured, and her brother, Lazarus, was also there. The walking dead and the dead walking at a dinner to honor Jesus! Withithe purest of motives, Mary wants to do something special for Jesus before he died. It seems she intuited what was coming before even the disciples did. So she poured a jar of expensive perfume on his head, perfume worth a year’s wages. Look at line thirty-two of your tax forms to see what it cost.
Outrageous! That’s what the disciples said. What a waste of money. They rebuked her sharply for this waste of money. Can you imagine how Mary felt when they spoke like this? Sometimes we can be so quick to judge, so quick to criticize, so quick to deeply wound even those who are close friends.
I can’t help but think that Luther had this story in mind when he wrote the explanation to the Eighth Commandment, when he wrote, “but take his words and actions in the kindest possible way.” The disciples found a reason to criticize and wound her with their words. Jesus saw the motive in her heart and defended her, spoke well of her, and took her words and actions in the kindest possible way.
As you apply this story to yourself, look in the mirror of God’s law and repent of those words and actions which have hurt your friends and neighbors. Then look at Jesus, and see your perfect Savior, who kept every commandment for you. And when it comes to honoring Jesus with your life and your gifts, don’t be afraid of being just a little bit outrageous!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching me in this story to always look for the best possible explanation for my neighbor’s actions. And thank you more for being the perfect person that I am not, and for allowing me to claim your righteousness for my own. Amen.